I was just wondering what the accepted width variance is in board to board. I had a brazilian cherry job one time that I had to measure each board and match them like dominoes.

There should be NONE!

What that tells you is, the lumber was not kilned dried and milled properly. The boards were milled at different moisture content. When they ALL finally came to moisture content equilibrium acclimation, they have different dimensions.

Yeah that's kinda what I was thinking. This stuff was poorly milled for sure. Some of the end matching was at such an angle (due apparently to warped boards being milled) that the groove of the end match ran within 1/16" of the top of the board. Nightmare of a job that one was. The place where this homeowner got the flooring from kept saying as long as its under 5% of the total than that is acceptable. Well the way I see it, if one board in the whole lot, whether its 200ft2 or 2000, its too much, because you have to critique every single board.

Unfortunately, that IS the standard. And the installer is expected to cull out badly milled boards. So that means you need to very quickly determine IF that particular board is visibly flawed. I'm sure everyone of us has installed a board that looked ok until we laid up the next board or course, only to see it was too narrow and mis-milled. Then it's tear it out and get another one. Yep, it sucks but that's what the job entails. The manufacturer's set that standard of 5% and said we installers were to cull out that 5% of crap they packaged up. Didn't bother to ask our opinion though. So in essence, we become the manufacturer's last source of quality control, and we aren't paid for it either. Accept it because you're never gonna change it.

Famous last words from Bruce. Been there and still doing it. Have you noticed that it mainly happens in the shorter length boards. Now I toss them or put them in closets.

But I will give them credit for one thing. On the rare complaint calls I make to my supplier they have me more wood the next day. Very good customer service on that part.

Yeah but even when you get replacement wood, you have let those sit and acclimate too. Its just frustrating.